Missouri and its Birds 435 species Purple Finch Photo by Peter Kondrashov Bobolink Photo by Al Smith Scarlet Tanager Photo by Al Smith Rose-breasted Grosbeak Photo by Al Smith Horned Grebe Photo by Peter Kondrashov Blue Grosbeak Photo by Peter Kondrashov Peregrine Falcon Photo by Peter Kondrashov Canada Warbler Photo by Al Smith Golden-winged Warbler Photo by Al Smith Northern Cardinal Photo by Peter Kondrashov Eastern Bluebird Photo by Jason Harrison Ruby-throated Hummingbird Photo by Jason Harrison Chestnut-sided Warbler Photo by Peter Kondrashov Golden-crowned Kinglet Photo by Al Smith Snowy Owl Photo by Peter Kondrashov Hudsonian Godwit Photo by Peter Kondrashov Swamp Sparrow Photo by Peter Kondrashov Wood Thrush Photo by Al Smith Great Crested Flycatcher Photo by Peter Kondrashov Prairie Warbler Photo by Peter Kondrashov Painted Bunting Photo by Jason Harrison Hooded Warbler Photo by Al Smith American Bittern Photo by Peter Kondrashov Bay-breasted Warbler Photo by Andy Reago/Chrissy McClarren Rusty Blackbird Photo by Peter Kondrashov Ring-billed Gull Photo by Al Smith Nelson's Sparrow Photo by Al Smith American Redstart Photo by Peter Kondrashov Cape May Warbler Photo by Andy Reago/Chrissy McClarren Yellow-billed Cuckoo Photo by Al Smith Yellow-headed Blackbird Photo by Peter Kondrashov Indigo Bunting Photo by Peter Kondrashov Carolina Wren Photo by Al Smith Eurasian Tree Sparrow Photo by Al Smith Northern Shoveler Photo by Peter Kondrashov Snowy Owl Photo by Jason Harrison Barn Swallow Photo by Al Smith Snowy Egret Photo by Al Smith Palm Warbler Photo by Peter Kondrashov American Tree Sparrow Photo by Peter Kondrashov Green Heron Photo by Al Smith Bald Eagle Photo by Peter Kondrashov Yellow Warbler Photo by Al Smith American Kestrel Photo by Andy Reago/Chrissy McClarren Blue-winged Warbler Photo by Peter Kondrashov Cedar Waxwing Photo by Al Smith Ruby-crowned Kinglet Photo by Al Smith Buff-breasted Sandpiper Photo by Peter Kondrashov Summer Tanager Photo by Jason Harrison Lincoln's Sparrow Photo by Peter Kondrashov Yellow-throated Warbler Photo by Andy Reago/Chrissy McClarren Blackburnian Warbler Photo by Al Smith Dickcissel Photo by Al Smith Harris's Sparrow Photo by Al Smith Common Yellowthroat Photo by Jason Harrison White-crowned Sparrow Photo by Jason Harrison Mourning Warbler Photo by Al Smith Red-shouldered Hawk Photo by Peter Kondrashov American Avocet Photo by Peter Kondrashov Green-winged Teal Photo by Al Smith Red Crossbill Photo by Al Smith Field Sparrow Photo by Peter Kondrashov Black-throated Green Warbler Photo by Andy Reago/Chrissy McClarren Louisiana Waterthrush Photo by Peter Kondrashov Bonaparte's Gull Photo by Al Smith Red-breasted Nuthatch Photo by Al Smith Baltimore Oriole Photo by Peter Kondrashov Cape May Warbler Photo by Al Smith Kentucky Warbler Photo by Al Smith Black-and-white Warbler Photo by Andy Reago/Chrissy McClarren Black-bellied Plover Photo by Al Smith Ruby-throated Hummingbird Photo by Peter Kondrashov LeConte's Sparrow Photo by Peter Kondrashov Red-headed Woodpecker Photo by Al Smith Missouri lies in the middle of the great North American heartland, with a fauna that reflects influences from all directions. Being east of center, our state will always fall within the “eastern” volume of any two-volume field guide; yet one can feel a pull from the West at the sight of a Swainson’s Hawk or a Greater Roadrunner…or a Collared Lizard on a cedar glade. Missouri is also equidistant from the Canadian border and the Gulf coast, so that we have such nesting birds as Swainson’s Warbler and Painted Bunting in the southernmost counties, and Mississippi Kite more widely, while winter visitors like Northern Shrike, Rough-legged Hawk, and Glaucous Gull are regular in the more northerly parts. Missouri’s topography is defined mainly by rolling farmland with remnant prairie to the north and west, and the forested Ozarks and the flat alluvial plain in the south and southeast. These habitats make the state a haven both for woodland species like Cerulean Warbler and for open-country birds like Dickcissel. The Mississippi River, forming the eastern border, and the Missouri River, which bisects the state, offer migration corridors and stopover locations for waterfowl, shorebirds, larids, raptors, and landbirds, as do several large National Wildlife Refuges and an abundance of state Conservation Areas. With this strategic location and diverse terrain, Missouri has a healthy bird list of 435 species; this includes five that are extinct, three others that formerly lived here but have been extirpated, and 11 that are provisional. As in every state, many of our listed birds are accidental or casual visitors; these amount to another 80 or more, leaving us with about 330 regular birds that are seen annually somewhere in the state. The Annotated Checklist is a great resource to help you pin down where and when you might find each of Missouri’s birds, and how likely they might be. Have fun birding!